Separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)

Following pregnancy, the abdominal muscles may partially or completely separate due to stretching to accommodate your baby – this is very common. Your abdominal muscles can be around 5cm separated following the birth and this usually resolves over time. If by 6 weeks there is a 2cm gap or more, you may need to visit your GP for referral to a physiotherapist.

How do I know if I have diastasis recti?

1. Lay flat on your back on a comfortable surface - bed/sofa/floor – with your knees bent to a 45 degree angle and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your head and shoulders and use your fingers to feel above and below the belly button to see how many fingers you can fit into the gap between the two muscles.
3. If you can fit 2 fingers or more between the gap it may indicate some diastasis recti and you may need to go to your GP if it is not resolving.

A good exercise to help resolve diastasis recti

1. Lay flat on your back, bending your knees to a 45 degree angle, feet flat on the floor.
2. Place a towel/scarf under your back and then use either side to cross over the front of your body.
3. Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, lift you head and pull either side of the towel/scarf together to support and encourage the abdominal muscles to come together.
4. Hold for a few seconds and then relax.
5. Repeat up to 10 times. The muscles need to become tired and the repetitions should increase as you do the exercise more and the muscles get stronger.

You can try to

• Not hold your breath with any exercise you perform. Always control your breathing steadily.

• Engage your core during hip bridges, knee raises and pelvic tilts. You can also practice engaging your core during an all-fours position on the floor, keeping the back straight, shoulders over hands and knees over feet.

What exercises you should avoid with diastasis recti

• Abdominal crunches

• Sit ups

• Russian twists

• Any exercises which encourage you to push your stomach outwards. Any exercise you do, try to engage your abdominal muscles, and core and pull them in, whilst breathing in a controlled way.

But why won't these exercises help fix my diastasis recti?

These exercises may make your abdominal muscles ‘dome’ and bulge which can further weaken the area, instead of strengthening. Work on the above exercises to begin with and then move onto these abdominal exercises when your diastasis recti has recovered. If you are unsure, ask your healthcare professional.